Lasers are known to be useful in a multitude of hard and soft tissue dental procedures, including: removing decay, cutting, drilling or shaping hard tissue, and removing or cutting soft tissue. A tooth has three layers. The outermost layer is the enamel which is the hardest and forms a protective layer for the rest of the tooth. The middle and bulk of the tooth is made up of the dentin, and the innermost layer is the pulp. The enamel and dentin are similar in composition and are roughly at least 70% mineral by weight, which is carbonated hydroxyapatite, while the pulp contains vessels and nerves. Lasers at a wavelength in a range of 9.3-9.6 micrometers are well absorbed by the hydroxyapatite that is a significant component of tooth and bone, making such lasers efficient in the removal of hard tissue. In general, the growth of CO2 laser applications in dentistry has increased substantially, with the CO2 laser wavelength bands ranging between 9.3 and 10.6 micrometers. Between 9.6 and 10.6 micrometers, phosphate absorption drops significantly and thus dental lasers optimized for the removal of hard tissue are generally operated in the 9.3-9.6 micrometer wavelength range.
Lasers have been found to be useful in the removal of dental material without the same need for local anesthetic that is required when a similar procedure is performed with a drill. Further, lasers do not make the noises and vibrations that are associated with dental drills. At least for these reasons, it has been the hope of many in the dental industry that lasers may replace the drill and remove or at least reduce much of the discomfort, anxiety, and fear from dental treatment.